Year Of The Pig - Book Review

SHOOT 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM - 11/6/2011 in Santee Delta

According to the Chinese calendar 2007 was the Year of the Pig, and that tempted Auburn University science researcher Mark Hainds to hunt feral hogs across the Southeast that year as research for his book. The detailed account of hunting wild pigs in eleven southern states includes quick and easy hunts as well as marathon dry spells. The entire book mixes in ecosystem appreciation contrast and comparison comments that bring an added dimension of enjoyment to the reader.

            

Mark Hainds is also research associate with the Longleaf Alliance at the Solon Dixon Forestry Center in Andalusia, Alabama. He regularly contributes technical papers like “Distribution of native legumes in frequently burned longleaf pine wiregrass ecosystems,” which appeared in the American Journal of Botany. Part of Hainds’ message is that man should strive to restore more longleaf pine and to leave a few less pigs than we will encounter.

            

In the book’s foreword Steven Ditchkoff writes the Hernando de Soto brought the first pigs to North America in 1539. Already known as survivors, the explorers knew that fresh pork meat would be readily available upon subsequent return visits to the new world. “The feral pig has become an incredibly successful invader, especially considering their short gestation period, a sow can have three litters in 14 months under good conditions,” said Ditchkoff. “While it is sporting to hunt them, pigs should be eliminated with extreme prejudice.”

            

In a second foreword, Mark Bailey writes that the feral hog, or Sus scrofa, is not a game species to be managed for sustained harvest. “Feral pigs are an invasive, exotic and ecological nightmare and are a scourge on the southeastern landscape straight out of Pandora’s box,” said Bailey. “The answer to solving the wild pig dilemma lies in concerted efforts of public education, landowner incentives and persistent management programs on a landscape scale.” Leave no pig behind!

            

Hainds did not hunt in South Carolina for the Year of the Pig but he praises the forestry and natural resources advocates of the Palmetto state. “The S.C. Association of Consulting Foresters has received the message of fire ecology from the Longleaf Alliance with tremendous enthusiasm,” said Hainds. “The list of agencies in S.C. working to promote longleaf goes on and on, an endeavor which will restore her native forests and promote prescribed fire.”

            

A common theme of the hunt narration in Year of the Pig is the central role that wildlife feeders play. Always waiting on the spinning cycle so that the corn would make the telltale rattle against metal as it is distributed to the ground, signaling nearby swine to come and dine. If the feeder is clogged, then not enough corn comes out to lure the feral flock consistently, and if it spreads during the night, then the feral vacuum cleaners will do their business under the safety of darkness.

Outdoorsmen who think of themselves as keen observers will enjoy reading Year of the Pig, which is told first from the perspective of a hog hunter, and second from the perspective of a naturalist. Hernando de Soto will never know the plight of feral hogs in North America, or how the topic of discussion after so many modern day hunts ends up with the quandary of - What are we going to do about these wild pigs?

To see a past blog entry about hog hunting click here.

Wounded Warrior Project - duck hunt report

WWP's Chris Uggiano and Vietnam veteran Alex Miller after the hunt

WWP hunters and their guides with lots of ducks after the hunt

The Wounded Warrior Project's (WWP) mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. With one war ending in Iraq and another war winding down in Afghanistan, there is no better time to thank our veterans and Wounded Warriors. Chris Uggiano is a regional coordinator for physical health and wellness  from the WWP, and is based at Fort Bragg. WWP and Patriot Hunts accepted the invitation to bring four Wounded Warriors and sixteen active duty soldiers to the Santee Delta for a special Dec. 12 duck hunt. That invitation was issued by the Georgetown Chapter of Ducks Unlimited in parternership with the plantations of the Santee Delta that actually hosted these deserving waterfowlers. The premise began when Dan Ray of Annandale Plantation asked himself what more could he do to thank our wounded warriors, so he picked up the phone and soon was in contact with the top brass at DU HQ in Memphis, as well as the WWP leadership. When neighboring landowners agreed to join in this idea to sponsor a hunt, then the Inaugural Wounded Warrior duck hunt in the Santee Delta was moved into execution mode. Sunday night included a catered supper for the Warriors which was followed by a special auction and country music concert. Celebrity Rusty Wallace and driver-son Steven Wallace were present to shake hands with Warriors and to donate items, while Nashville recording artists Lee Brice (Curb Records) and Tyler Farr (Sony Records) flew in to join local crooner Phillip Lammonds for the concert. After an overnight stay on the plantations, the Warriors and their guides fanned out into duck blinds with high hopes of successful duck hunting. Cloudy, cold and windy conditions cooperated nicely and the ducks flew well - with a mixed bag of gadwall, black ducks, pintails, wood ducks, a mottled duck, green-winged teal and blue-winged teal being harvested. After the hunt, I spoke with a Warrior named  Jim (last name withheld)  who told me that he had not smiled this much in a long time!! He also added that he was keen to go deer hunting again too, after three years of service in West Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. He is recovering well, after a traumatic brain injury. In summary, this hunt was all about getting the Warriors into the outdoors to enjoy the positive dividends of a duck hunt. However, taken as a whole, the entire event exceeded all expectations. To view blog entries from successive hunts in the Santee Delta click 2012 or 2014. To view a blog entry from the ACE Basin veterans duck hunt click 2013.

Willie and Jason, Organizer Dan Ray, Scot

For more photos from the 2011 Wounded Warrior Project duck hunt click here.

To view my feature article on the 2014 S.C. Duck Stamp click here.

To view blog entries from past Santee Delta duck hunts click here.

DU staffers James Meadows, Jim West and Brett Baker

Wounded Warrior Project - duck hunt photos

Twenty Warriors from Fort Bragg, N.C. and their Santee Delta hunting guides on Dec. 11

 Rico, guide Jim Clark, Sam 

NASCAR's Rusty Wallace donated a racing fire suit to the auction with help from his son Steven

Linda Ray, Nan Johnston, Dianne Peace, Emily and Schall Ragsdale

Phillip Lammonds shares the stage with Nashville stars Lee Brice and Tyler Farr

Hampton Plantation State Park

The Rutledge family home is only open for tours

The grounds at Hampton are well-maintained

Old plat of the rice fields of Hampton Plantation

The Avenue that Archibald Rutledge planted circa 1937

Situated along Wambaw Creek in the Santee Delta, Hampton Plantation is preserved now as a state park. Best known as the former home of Archibald Rutledge, the mansion is open to the public for tours on certain days of the week. The grounds of Hampton offer a look into mature pines and live oaks, the kind that have marked a homesite for a long, long time. The history of Hampton involved the rise and fall of rice culture, and later the sporting tales of Archibald Rutledge, which would forever label the Santee Delta as a mecca for wildlife adventures. The road leading to Hampton offers a stark reminder of the dangers of wildfire - since a large swath of privately-owned acreage was blackened over 6 months ago. The pine trees have now been clearcut to salvage their timber value, which also ensures that insects will not invade the already stressed ecosystem. The open acreage has been re-planted in native longleaf pine trees which will restore a natural beauty that visitors will enjoy on their way to Hampton Plantation. Archibald Rutledge was also an avid gardener and he gathered native plants and trees from his property and transplanted them into the yard. Dogwoods and Holly trees line the driveway, offering a look at the softer side of the Bard who wrote this poem entitled "The Garden I Made."

Whenver I think of life's light that must fade, the gleams and the glow that must pass in the shade, when hopes that I had now but leave me afraid, with joy I remember the gardens I made.
The redbuds and dogwoods I planted will grow, the flaming azaleas will blossom I know, the chaliced syringa's wild beauty will snow, when I shall be one with the long, long ago.
The glimmering gardens, the wildflowers wan, the red rose, the lilly as white as a swan, the garden I made will keep blossoming on when life with its fevers is faded and gone.

For a past blog entry about coastal state parks click here.

10-point buck harvested in O'burg man drive

B.J. Compton is is 29 years old, started hunting at the age of six with his Dad, and he was just nine when he harvested his first deer. What started out as a friendly traditional hunt on Saturday Dec. 10 ended as a great day. Every year his friends get together at the end of deer season for a traditional man drive on some private property in Orangeburg County. Man drives are a popular practice across the Lowcountry late in the deer season. They met up at 7:30 am to go over their safety plans on how they would conduct the drive. When the first man drive began, deer were jumping up and slipping out of the woods but none came into any openings to present a shot for any standers. For the second man drive they moved down towards the North Edisto River. This tract is a one-year old 90-acre cutover, and the drivers slowly and carefully slipped around to the back of the cutover and got into position to start pushing. Once the last driver got into place, he let out the first holler and the drive began. Immediately shots rang out on the other side of the cutover from the standers. The cutover was just tall enough that you couldn't see across it, but there were stumps about three-feet tall which allowed the drivers to hop up on for a better view. Standing on a stump, B.J. heard something crashing through the weeds and all of a sudden a huge 10-point buck ran right into a skidder lane and stopped at 20-yards from him presenting a perfect broad side shot. He shouldered the Mossberg 835 12-gauge, took aim, and fired. The 3-inch double 00 buckshot took down the buck with the first shot. He went up to him noticed the buck trying to get back onto his feet and so Compton quickly fired a second shot behind the shoulder so that this buck of a lifetime would not get away. After finishing the drive, they looked for another nice buck that was shot at but never found. Also, 135-lb doe was harvested by a young stander. Everyone is very excited about Compton's 10-point buck and B.J. said he knew this deer was definitely going on his wall. His personal best buck carries an 18-inch inside spread, and it weighed 155-lbs. Compton is grateful to have connected on his very nice buck and to have shared this hunt with his friends.

To see past blog entries about fishermen who also tag nice bucks click here.

The 10-point buck was also captured on trail cam

SCWA Walterboro hunts second season opener

A nice mixed bag of ducks from the SCWA second season opening hunt

Walterboro Committee in the pole barn blind, wearing a Drake Old School parka

Decoys and still conditions on Dec. 10

Stuart Cochran is the Duck Breast Commander

The S.C. Waterfowl Association has a tradition of giving back to their local chapter committees by hosting them for a hunt at the Camp Woodie education center in Rimini. Opening day after the split in waterfowl season saw the Walterboro committee chairmen, plus several other leadership teams from other chapters, come into camp for a dinner and banquet the night before the duck hunt. Dinner featured grilled duck breasts and a barbecue pig, followed by a live auction for gear and duck hunts, plus a special donation from the Marlowe family to SCWA in memory of their loved one. The next day the blinds were buzzing with the wingbeats of waterfowl under cloudy but still conditions. Most blinds hunted until 10 a.m. and came away with a mixed bag of green-winged teal, northern shovelers, ringnecks, bluebills and mallard ducks. A Lowcountry breakfast was served up after the hunt to committee members before they left to head back to their respective counties. The Walterboro Chapter is in the planning stages right now for their January 14, 2012 banquet and auction at the armory - so please save the date!

To view past entries on the Walterboro Chapter of SCWA click here.

Hortman Taxidermy - waterfowl specialist

A Drake Green-Winged Teal

Jimmy Hortman holds a coot next to a coot, David Wielicki

A drake spoonbill, or Hollywood mallard

The Real Deal - Opening day ducks!

Jimmy Hortman of Pawley's Island is delighted that hunting season is in full swing, meaning that lots of deer and ducks are heading his way to be mounted. Case in point, Capt. John Ward's recent 10-point buck harvest is now in Hortman's capable hands. Hortman grew up in Moncks Corner, and LowcountryOutdoors.com has great respect for the artistic talents of his father Robert who is an accomplished sculpter, painter and also and avid saltwater angler. Jimmy has all the tools to excel in the field of taxidermy and beyond, and he also has saltwater in his veins with a deep love for king mackerel fishing. Hortman knows the Lowcountry well and supports organizations like the S.C. Maritime Foundation, the S.C. Memorial Reef, and the S.C. Waterfowl Association. Hortman traveled to Rimini to  support Camp Woodie for the annual opening of duck season banquet and displayed a few of his waterfowl mounts, including a drake green-winged teal, a drake spoonbill (or Hollywood mallard) and even a coot!